Apparatus for clearing tubes in the head



y 25, 1950 W D. H. DWYER 2,516,762

APPARATUS FOR CLEARING TUBES IN THE HEAD Filed July 11, 1949 INVENTOR.

DENNIS H. DWYER AT ORNEYS Patented July 25, 1950 I UNITED OFFICE APPARATUS FOR CLEARING TUBES IN THE HEAD Dennis H. Dwyer, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 11, 1949, Serial No. 104,125

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for clearing tubes in the head.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus adapted to establish air pressure in tubes of the head sufiicient to clear such tubes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus comprising a pair of nose pieces or plugs adapted to fit in the nostrils of the user and to establish a tight seal therewith, one of the plugs being connected to a source of air pressure and the other of said plugs being imperforate.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the character described characterized by a configuration of the nose piece and plugs such that they substantially fill the nostrils of the user.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modified construction.

Referring now to the figures there is illustrated the apparatus for clearing the tubes of the head. This apparatus comprises a pair of nose pieces or plugs I and I2, associated with a rubber bulb or the like M for establishing pressure. Interconnect-mg the bulb I4 and one of the plugs as for example the plug I0, is an air conduit IS. The plug ID has an air outlet opening I! in its end. Conveniently, the air conduit I6 may be associated with a second conduit I8 having an inlet connection 20 for use with a medication, if such is desired. The down-turned tube 20 extends through a cap 22 which may serve as a closure for the bottle 24 containing medication. The end of the tube I8 located within the plug I0 is associated with the end of the tube I6 such that the air blast from the tube I6 establishes suction and withdraws medication from the bottle. Alternatively the device may be used without medication and accordingly, tube I8 and associated parts may be omitted.

The plug I2 is structurally connected by a support rod 26 to the tube I6. However the plug I2 is imperiorate and its function is to close one of the nostrils of the user while air is introduced into the other nostril through the plug II).

It is important that the nose pieces I0 and I2 be sufficiently large so as to establish a strong airtight seal. Moreover, it is desirable for the nose pieces I0 and I2 to have tapered forwardly extending portions which will substantially fill the interior of the nostrils. This avoids the presence of air chambers in which the air introduced through the nose piece Ill could expand and materially, it enhancesthe effectiveness of the device in opening and clearing tubes such as the eustachian tubes in communication with the nostrils.

In the use of the device it is important to close the passages connecting the throat to the nose and. this may be accomplished by the user swallowing after the device is used. Best results are obtained when the bulb I 4 is compressed during the act of swallowing so that the resultant air pressure cannot escape into the throat of the user.

Figure 3 illustrates a modified construction in which the dummy plug I2 is mounted to one of the tubes I6 or I8 for swinging movement thereabout so that the plug I2 may assume a position at one side or the other of the plug l 0. The detail of this construction is that without inverting the bottle 24 connected to the apparatus, the apertured plug I0 may be used in either the right or the left nostril. As indicated in Figure 3 the plug I2 is shown as carried by an arm 30 having an eye or swivel connection 32 embracing one of the tubes I6 or I8 (the tube I8 in the embodiment illustrated). Intermediate its end the rod or arm 30 may if desired be provided with a recessed portion 34 adapted to engage the other tube I6 when the plug I2 is swung from the full line position illustrated to the dotted line position. At the same time, at the opposite side of the swivel connection 32 there may be provided an extension 36 shaped to engage the underside of the tube I6. This construction provides for proper location of the nose piece I2 in a position at either side of the other nose piece, and in addition permits use of the apparatus to apply air pressure to either nostril without inverting the medication bottle.

It will be understood that in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 the tubes I6 and I8 may if desired be perfectly straight, the tube I6 which communicates with the bulb I4 in such case being in alignment with the air bulb I4.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved apparatus for clearing tubes in the head in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Apparatus for clearing tubes comprising an air bulb, a pair of plugs of a size to completely fill the nostrils of the user and to establish an airtight seal therewith, one of said plugs having an air discharge opening in the end thereof, the other of said plugsbeing impervious to air, and an air passage connecting said bulb to the air discharge opening in the said one plug.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said plugs are elongated and tapered to have forwardly extending portions substantially filling the interior of the nostrils.

3. Apparatus for clearing tubes comprising a first nose piece having an air discharge opening in the end thereof, a pressure bulb, an air tube leading from said bulb to said nose piece, a second tube having a cap thereon for connection to a medication bottle, said second tube entering said nose piece and associated with said first tube to deliver medication into said nose piece, a dummy imperforate nose piece, means mounting said dummy nose piece in properly spaced relation to provide for simultaneous insertion of both nose pieces into the nostrils of the user.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said means supporting said dummy nose piece is pivoted to provide swinging said dummy nose piece from one side to the other of said first nose piece.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said means supporting said dummy nose piece comprises a pivot mounting secured to one of said tubes.

.6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said pivot mounting comprises stop means cooperating with the other of said tubes to position said dummy nose piece selectively at either side of said first nose piece.

7. Apparatus for clearing tubes in the head with medicated air comprising a pair of plugs spaced apart to enter the nostrils of a user simultaneously, said plugs being sufiiciently large to form an airtight seal with the nostrils, one of said plugs being imperiorate, the other of said plugs having means for discharging medicated air therethrough under elevated pressure into the nostrils of the user.

DENNIS H. DWYER.

No references cited. 

